The crosstalk of HDAC3, microRNA-18a and ADRB3 in the progression of heart failure

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by left ventricular dysfunction or elevated intracardiac pressures. Research supports that microRNAs (miRs) participate in HF by regulating targeted genes. Hence, the current study set out to study the role of HDAC3-medaited miR-18a in HF by targeting ADRB3. Methods Firstly, HF mouse models were established by ligation of the left coronary artery at the lower edge of the left atrial appendage, and HF cell models were generated in the cardiomyocytes, followed by ectopic expression and silencing experiments. Numerous parameters including left ventricular posterior wall dimension (LVPWD), interventricular septal dimension (IVSD), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LEVDP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular pressure rise rate (+ dp/dt) and left ventricular pressure drop rate (-dp/dt) were measured in the mice. In addition, apoptosis in the mice was detected by means of TUNEL staining, while RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect miR-18a, HDAC3, ADRB3, cMyb, MMP-9, Collagen 1 and TGF-β1 expression patterns. Dual luciferase reporter assay validated the targeting relationship between ADRB3 and miR-18a. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was determined by means of flow cytometry. Results HDAC3 and ADRB3 were up-regulated and miR-18a was down-regulated in HF mice and cardiomyocytes. In addition, HDAC3 could reduce the miR-18a expression, and ADRB3 was negatively-targeted by miR-18a. After down-regulation of HDAC3 or ADRB3 or over-expression of miR-18a, IVSD, LVEDD, LVESD and LEVDP were found to be decreased but LVPWD, LVEF, LVFS, LVSP, + dp/dt, and −dp/dt were all increased in the HF mice, whereas fibrosis, hypertrophy and apoptosis of HF cardiomyocytes were declined. Conclusion Collectively, our findings indicate that HDAC3 silencing confers protection against HF by inhibiting miR-18a-targeted ADRB3.